1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a folding cell phone and other folding mobile terminal which allow the user to control enabling or disabling the configuration to stop the functions necessary for communication only, by changing the coupling state between the two frame parts of the cell phone or the mobile terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Talking on a cell phone may cause a nuisance to others, particularly in a public place, such as on a train. Most hospitals require people to turn off their cell phones within their buildings in order to prevent possible malfunction of medical equipment. Users may turn off their cell phones simply because they do not want to answer any calls.
In recent years, cell phones have become increasingly multifunctional; they commonly incorporate camera, notebook and various other features, in addition to calling and other functions for communication. In places where calling on cell phones is inhibited or where radio wave emitting functions must be turned off, users still may want to use the functions other than those necessary for communication.
Under these circumstances, the demand has been increasing rapidly for a cell phone which can restrict use of its functions necessary for communication only, while allowing the user to use the rest of the functions as usual.
Some cell phones available on the market can deactivate the functions necessary for communication only.
For example, Japanese laid-open patent application publication (Kokai) No. 2003-298729 (Literature 1) discloses a cell phone which allows the user to deactivate the functions necessary for communication by the operation of its output radio wave stop button.
However, these cell phones currently available on the market require the user to undergo a very complicated procedure before he or she can enable or disable the configuration to stop the functions necessary for communication only, inevitably leading to infrequent use of this option by the user.
Even on such a cell phone as disclosed in Literature 1 with an output radio wave stop button in a conspicuous place, it would be much more convenient if the user is not required to perform any key operation in order to enable or disable the configuration to stop the functions necessary for communication only. Some cell phone users may not be accustomed to key operation; others may have difficulties in using many operational keys; still others may be elderly people or the physically challenged. For these people, it would be a must that their cell phones have the ability to disable or enable the configuration to stop the functions necessary for communication only without performing any key operation.